Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Food processing workers, all other (51-3099), play a role in the broader production workforce, with national employment of about 59,000 people. The national median annual salary of $38,420 provides a reference point for evaluating local opportunities and career decisions. Projected employment growth of 5.3% and around 6,000 annual openings indicate ongoing hiring needs across the country. This role can suit people comfortable with hands-on work that draws on fine motor ability, physical strength and stamina, attention to detail, and mechanical awareness. The importance of science and mathematics skills suggests that understanding processes and measurements can be useful, while leadership, interpersonal, and customer service strengths can support advancement and team coordination. Because no formal educational credential is typically required, this occupation can offer an accessible entry point into production-related careers, including potential movement into related roles such as bakers, production workers, structural metal fabricators and fitters, coil winders, tapers and finishers, or miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators.
The national median annual salary for food processing workers, all other, is $38,420. Within this overall picture, there is meaningful variation by state and metro area. Among the highlighted states, Colorado shows a median salary of $46,930, while Washington, Massachusetts, and New York fall in the low-to-mid $40,000s, and California is close to the national median at $38,230. Metro data also show differences: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports a median salary of $44,310, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is at $43,200, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA are near $39,600–$39,770. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro stands out with a median of $34,790, below both the national and New York state medians. These patterns suggest that location choice can significantly influence earning potential within this occupation.
Food processing workers, all other, have national employment of about 59,000, with projected employment growth of 5.3%. This same 5.3% growth rate appears across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a consistent projection in different parts of the country. With approximately 6,000 annual openings nationwide, there is an ongoing flow of opportunities that can support both new entrants and workers changing jobs within the field. Employment levels vary by area: for example, California reports 7,140 employed workers, while Washington has 920, Colorado 610, New York 400, and Massachusetts 210. At the metro level, employment is concentrated in places like New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (800), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (760), and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (420. For someone evaluating long-term prospects, the combination of projected growth and regular openings suggests a labor market with continuing demand.
Location plays a clear role in the opportunity profile for food processing workers, all other. Among states, California shows the highest employment at 7,140 and an opportunity score of 67.38, with a median salary of $38,230. Massachusetts and New York have smaller employment levels (210 and 400) but higher median salaries around $43,200 and $42,920, along with opportunity scores above 65. Colorado and Washington combine mid-range employment (610 and 920) with relatively strong median salaries ($46,930 and $43,980) and opportunity scores between about 56 and 57. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ both post very high opportunity scores above 77, though San Jose offers a higher median salary than New York. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH show moderate-to-strong opportunity scores and median salaries in the high $30,000s to mid-$40,000s, giving job seekers multiple regions to consider.
Food processing workers, all other, typically do not need a formal educational credential, which can make this occupation accessible to individuals who want to enter the workforce quickly or transition from other roles without returning to school. Even without a formal education requirement, the skill profile is broad and meaningful. Fine motor ability, physical strength, and stamina are important for hands-on tasks, while being detail oriented supports quality and consistency. Science and mathematics skills indicate that comfort with measurements, processes, and basic quantitative thinking can be valuable. Mechanical skills suggest interaction with tools or equipment, and leadership and project management abilities can be relevant for workers who take on coordination or supervisory responsibilities. Customer service and interpersonal skills round out the profile, supporting communication and collaboration. Together, these skills can help workers perform effectively day-to-day and potentially prepare for movement into related occupations such as bakers or other production roles.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
